Ideological rift between TMC and Hill ally BGPM over mandatory singing of Bengal ‘state anthem’

A fresh ideological rift has emerged between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its hill ally, the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM), following a West Bengal government directive making the singing of the State Anthem —Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol -- mandatory during morning assemblies in all state-run and state-aided schools.

- AGENCIES

BGPM, which controls the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) -- the autonomous body overseeing civic affairs in Darjeeling, Kurseong, and Kalimpong -- has strongly objected to the order on two key grounds.

First, the party contends that the directive amounts to a forced imposition of Bengali on students in the hills, where most school children speak either Gorkhali or Hindi. BGPM leaders argue that the order undermines the region’s linguistic and cultural identity.